1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact clip for a switch. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved socket structure formed at a terminal portion of a contact clip so as to receive and mount, through dip soldering, lead wires of electrical components to be connected to the contact clip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A contact clip is utilized in a rotary switch, for example, to constitute a stationary contact. In such a rotary switch, a rotor is rotatably provided on a rotary shaft so as to be rotated in an intermittent manner by means of a click stop mechanism and movable contacts are provided along the periphery of the rotor. The rotor is adapted such that the same is rotated while the movable contacts are each sandwiched by a pair of tip ends formed in cooperating resilient jaws of the stationary contacts. Usually a plurality of such stationary contacts are provided along the periphery of the rotor. As a result, as the rotor is rotated, selective electrical connection states can be achieved between the movable and the stationary contacts, whereby a circuit connection is suitably switched.
As briefly described in the foregoing, a plurality of contact clips are provided on a suitable base plate so as to be arranged along the periphery of a rotor in association with movable contacts provided on the rotor. Mounting of the contact clips is achieved by fixing, for example, riveting fastening and so on a mounting portion of the contact clip to a switch base plate. One end of the contact clip is formed as a sandwiching portion in cooperating resilient jaws adapted for sandwiching with a pair of tip end jaws thereof, a movable contact of the rotor. On the other hand, the opposite end of the contact clip is formed as a terminal portion including a socket structure adapted for receiving lead wires of electrical components such as coils to be connected thereto. The lead wires as accepted in the socket structure are fixed by dip soldering.
A contact clip of interest to the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,118,998, entitled "SWITCH CONTACT STRUCTURE" and issued Jan. 21, 1964 to E. J. Mastney et al. The referenced United States Patent discloses a contact clip for a switch for dip soldered connection with lead wires and for connecting the lead wires with a switch contact, comprising a resilient body having a fold portion at one end and a pair of facially superimposed layers bent midway at a right angle, whereby a terminal portion is formed between the fold portion and the right angle bend portion and a mounting portion is formed outwardly of the right angle bend portion, while the facially superimposed layers are terminated at the end in cooperating resilient jaws for connecting the clip to the switch contact, wherein the terminal portion is provided at opposite side edges of one layer opposite to the mounting portion with the wings extending in the same direction opposite to the mounting portion to define an elongated socket for receiving the lead wires. The reference contact clip, however, is less advantageous in dip soldered connection and expensive in cost. Thus, there is room for improvement.
Another contact clip of interest to the present invention is described in Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. 14487/1971, entitled "SLIDING CONTACT" and published Mar. 31, 1971 to Hitachi Ltd. The referenced Japanese Patent Publication Gazette describes a contact clip comprising a resilient body having a fold portion at one side edge and a pair of facially superimposed layers, whereby a mounting portion for mounting the clip to the base plate is formed, which is terminated at the end in cooperating resilient jaws for connecting the clip to the switch circuit, one layer being extended at the other end to form a terminal portion. The single layered terminal portion is provided with a socket by forming a further extension to define a socket opening, cutting the single layered terminal portion per se, or the like. Again, however, the contact clip of the referenced Japanese patent publication gazette is less advantageous in that the structure is not adapted for dip soldered connection, the manufacturing process is complicated and the cost is still expensive. Thus again there is room for improvement.
Because of such solder dipping, the socket structure of the contact clip must be of a configuration and structure suited for solder dipping. It is further desired that the contact clip be of few components for reduction of cost. In addition, the socket structure is preferably large enough to be capable of accepting several lead wires of electrical components.